Ebook483 pages7 hours
The Namesake: A Commissario Alec Blume Novel
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
3/5
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About this ebook
The disappearance of Matteo Arconti, an innocent insurance man from Milan, is no mistake. That much becomes clear when his body is discovered mere feet away from the office of another Matteo Arconti--a court magistrate known for his close scrutiny of mafia movements.
This namesake killing broadcasts a clear message of defiance and intimidation from a powerful crime syndicate. But whom, exactly, is the murder intended to intimidate?
Commissario Alec Blume thinks he knows who's behind it all--Italy's most efficient and secretive mafia, the Ndrangheta, whose principals have operated untouchably from Germany for years. This is Blume's chance to lure the arrogant mafiosi out of their hiding place.
As a personal friend of Judge Arconti, however, Blume is too close to the case to formally investigate. Handing control over to his partner, Caterina Mattiola, he willingly takes a backseat--that is, until he decides to speed things up and secretly falsifies a mob wife's confession.
This plan forces Blume into an electrifying chase across Italy, from Naples to Calabria. As he races to right his wrongs and save innocent lives, Commissario Blume must ask himself whether he has finally gone too far...
This namesake killing broadcasts a clear message of defiance and intimidation from a powerful crime syndicate. But whom, exactly, is the murder intended to intimidate?
Commissario Alec Blume thinks he knows who's behind it all--Italy's most efficient and secretive mafia, the Ndrangheta, whose principals have operated untouchably from Germany for years. This is Blume's chance to lure the arrogant mafiosi out of their hiding place.
As a personal friend of Judge Arconti, however, Blume is too close to the case to formally investigate. Handing control over to his partner, Caterina Mattiola, he willingly takes a backseat--that is, until he decides to speed things up and secretly falsifies a mob wife's confession.
This plan forces Blume into an electrifying chase across Italy, from Naples to Calabria. As he races to right his wrongs and save innocent lives, Commissario Blume must ask himself whether he has finally gone too far...
Author
Conor Fitzgerald
Conor Fitzgerald has lived in Ireland, the UK, the United States and Italy. He has worked as an arts editor, produced a current affairs journal for foreign embassies based in Rome, and founded a successful translation company. He is married with two children and lives in Rome. The Namesake is the third in his series of Italian Crime novels.
Read more from Conor Fitzgerald
Bitter Remedy: A Commissario Alec Blume Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fatal Touch: A Commissario Alec Blume Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Memory Key: A Commissario Alec Blume Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dogs of Rome: A Commissario Alec Blume Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for The Namesake
Rating: 3.2 out of 5 stars
3/5
5 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I started this on audiobook in the car, but after a disc and a half I just wasn't getting on with it. i now see it is the third in a series, which may explain the sensation of having missed a whole pile of information somewhere. I didn't like the use of Italian phrases with no explanation when I don't speak sufficient Italian to know what they meant. OK, so it was set in Italy & based on a mafia case, but don't assume I know enough to understand the strange titles of those in the various groups, sub groups and goodness only knows what that this got into. I was very lost. And the narrator did sound convincing. The magistrate was supposedly in his 60s, but was read as a doddery old man sounding decades older. Not for me, so abandoned.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is the first Comissario Alec Blume story that I have read and I don't think I would read another. I did not like Alec Blume, his character was a little bland and uninteresting. I did however enjoy the storyline. I love stories about the Mafia and the locale was great. Although it was not my favorite I would definitely recommend this to all my mystery loving friends to decide for themselves.Thanks to Net Galley and Bloomsbury.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5While this is the third book featuring Commissario Alec Blume, The Namesake is the first I have read from this British author. Part police procedural/part crime thriller, this series is set in Italy and pits Blume, more often than not, against the organised crime families of Italy. In The Namesake, the body of a man who bears the same name as a Magistrate, is dumped outside of a courthouse in Rome, a threat that Blume attributes to the Ndreangheta. Seizing an opportunity that might force Ndreangheta's second in command, Curmaci, to return from Germany, Blume leaves the investigation of the dead body to his girlfriend and colleague, Caterina and reluctantly working with the DSCA, Blume makes a bold move against Curmaci, that has the potential to backfire spectacularly.Corruption, vengeance, loyalty and honour are the main themes explored amidst both the justice and organised crime systems of Italy. The main plot involves Blume's desire to bring down Curmaci which is supported by several subplots including the investigation of the namesake killing, the abduction of a young girl, a 'family' tussle for power, the relationship between the sons of Curmaci and his rival Tony, and a man out for vengeance. While the events in the novel take place over only a week, and there is a fair bit of action, The Namesake can be dense with detail at times which slows the pace considerably. The detail is interesting in and of itself, but does not always contribute directly to the story so I found my attention wavering occasionally.Blume is an enigmatic character, while deeply flawed he is also a man with strong principles. I never really got a handle on his motivation for his determination to bring down Curmaci, though there is a vague mention of a previous incident between them and I think it must be something I missed, not having read the first two books.Of the supportive characters, it was the teenage Ruggerio that caught my attention. The son of Curmaci, he is not sure of his position in the Ndreangheta family but eventually he makes decisions that sets his path.The Namesake is a literary crime novel, atmospheric with interesting characters. I would have liked to have read the previous titles in the series, The Dogs Of Rome and The Fatal Touch first but The Namesake does still work as a stand alone.
Book preview
The Namesake - Conor Fitzgerald
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